Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 01, 2007	Apr. 07, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Income tax disclosure
Income tax expense (benefit), including discontinued operations	$ 250,000	$ 6,000,000	$ 2,000,000
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(5,000,000)	3,000,000	(3,000,000)
Amount that tax basis of net assets is less than reported amounts	7,700,000,000
U.K. income tax benefit	700,000
SEUSA
Income tax disclosure
Period during which disposition of pre-acquisition assets are subject to corporate level tax				10 years
Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at the beginning of the year	1,087,000	1,977,000				1,977,000
Reductions based on prior years' tax positions	(1,087,000)	(890,000)
Balance at the end of the year		1,087,000				1,977,000
HCR ManorCare
Income tax disclosure
Period during which disposition of pre-acquisition assets are subject to corporate level tax					10 years
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits due to lapse in the statute of limitations	1,000,000	1,000,000
Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at the beginning of the year					$ 2,000,000